Apparatus for solidifying crystallizable mixtures without substantial crystallization and forming strips thereof.



l", 1.' DU PONT. APPARATUS FOR SOLIDIFYING CRYSTALLIZABLB MIXTURES WITHOUT S-UBSTANTIAL cRYsTALLIzATIoNND PORMING STRIPS THBREUF.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPTl 24, 1m.

WTNESSES:

r, 1. DU PONT. l APPARATUS FOR SOLIDIFYING GRYSTALLIZABLE MIXTURES WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL y GRYSTALLIZATON AND FORMING STRIPS THEREOP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1909.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' 'FRANCIS I. DU PONT, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNORl TO THE E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS POWDER. COMPANY, F FILIil'IlNGr'IOll',- DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION` OF NEW JERSEY.

-APPARATS Fon SOLIDIFYING cRYsTALLizABLE MIXTURES WITHOUT sUBsTANTIAL ca YsTALLIzATIoN AND FORMING STRIPS THEREOF.

Loo-1,072,

Specicaticniof Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Application led September 24, 1909. Serial No. 519,318.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS I. DU PONT, av citizen of'the United States', residing at r'liliiiiiigton, county of Newcastle, and State of Delaware, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Apparatus for Solidifying'Crystallizable Mixtures- VVit-hout Substantial Crystallization and' Forming Strips Thereof, of which the following` is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference `being had to the accompanying drawings, which :t'orm a -pa-rt of this specification.

In t-he manufacture of Y black powder from an initial mixture of the ingredients when in a dissolved, liquid or semiliquid condition produced by solvents or hea-t. ork both, 1t 1s necessary toreturn the material,

to a solid condition without substantial crystallization. So far as the ingredients which are made' liquid or semiliquid by solvents are concerned, they may be brought to 'a vcertain extent to a solid condition without substantial crystallization byl means of applied heat and working the mass during 'The mass after a-dmiirture ina fluid or i semitluid condition is subjected to heat,

while working such massduring said treatment'. This shouldl practically, althoughnot coi'npletely,A as 'described herein, solidify the ingredients which are rendered liquid or semiliquid by a solvent. It has, however, no such effect upon the ingredients rendered liquid or semiliquid by heat. For ins ance, taking V black powder, an example of the ingredients of which is 73 parts nitrate of soda, 16 parts charcoal, and-11 parts sulfu r in such composition the liquid orv semiliquid sulfur. will not be solidified by this treatment. yThe treatment of heat and working just described may be carried on in the application before mentioned.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for completingr the solidification with-V outvcrystallization vot such ingredients, and ysolldit'ying, without crystallization, the ingredlents rendered liquid or semiliquid by heat. i I have discovered that if Iv take the mix- -ture after it has passed through the evaporator and formit into a thin sheet, which sheet must be practically as thin asit can be formed, and when in such thin sheet subjected to cooling action, the material is rapidly cooled and solidified and all the material practically simultaneously so chilled, and solidified, and the,soliditication of the ingredients of the'prei-{ious treatment completed, and the solidiication of the other ing'redients obtained, all 'without crystallization.l The materia-l thus solidified, maythen TE STATES' Ail-ENT OFFICE f' 'I be brokenup and it grains'` are desired to l 'be produced, formed into a sheet` of the desired thickness and the grains cuttherefrom.

I will now describe an apparatus for carrying out my processor method, said appa-` ratus forming the subject matter of the present application, and said process or method formingr the subject matter of an appllcation, division of this application, tiled January 31, 1910, Serial No. 540,951. f

Inthe drawings: Figure 1 is a general view of my invention, with some of .the parts in elevation and others in section. Fig. 2 isa section on the line 2-2,'F1g. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed view ofa portion of the apparatus adjacent to the point of reception of the material upon the roller. Fig. 4 1s anenlarged section of the mechanism for removing the powder from the carrylng roller and forming it into the ultimate sheet or strip. y

Acz- 11. are the evaporating tubes of. the evaporator, as before mentioned, and alsodescrlbed 1n an application tiled'by me J'uly 28th, 1909, Serial No.'510,070. Thev material passes from these evaporators into a stack' b, having` the chamber c. he carrying roller d, whlch -1s described in my application Y m. The pipe m also passes through the hub revolved-by appropriate mechanism in the direct-ion indicated by the arrow, forms the bottom of this chamber c. The forward wall of chamber c is cut away to admit the pressing rollerv e, which is revolved in the direction of the arrow. The l peripheral speed of the rollers d and eis vthe same.

The tendency of this roller e is to press the material in the 'chamber c onto the face of the roller d. On the other hand, the material is' of such character that its tendency is to follow the roller .e as wellas the roller edge. It is also provided with a projectimgz;l

. lipof whichv is .spaced'a distancel from the A sprayers c.

'surface of the roller dequal to the distance between the surfaces of rollers d and e at their nearest' point.

By this varrangement the material is,l by

the action ofthe 'roller e, spread upon the roller d, and the thickness of t-he sheet determined by the distance between the rollersk d] and e. Further, the scraper and spreader prevent the materialfollowing the roller e and 'also maintain the thickness of.

the sheet'the same as that of the distance between the rollers, -As stated, the roller d is a skeleton roller, having the internal chamber 5. 1

. ,h is a pipe leading from a source of water supply or cooling fluid, not shown. "The pipe h passes through the hollow hub of the roller d and connects with the pipe z', which lpassesup vertically in the chamber 5, and terminates in the branch y', having the nozzles or Z is a pipe leading from the lower. 1portion of the chamber 5, connecting wlth t e pipe of roller d and is connected withva suction pump. o When water passes from the pipe lz.,

`^ under pressure, it is forced out through nozzles and sprayed against the inner surface of the roller d, thus chilling fthe surface of the roller d and chilling the powder .strip as it passes around with the wheel.

The -roller Z is driven by the worm 1 and worm -wheel 2. The'water will How by gravity to the bottom of the chamber 5, and

is withdrawn by the pump, acting through pipes m and Z.

As sta-ted` before, the strip from the roller' d 1s too thin to be' used in the subsequent,

steps in the manufacture of the powder into grams... I therefore have provided, as is I necessary in this apparatus, mechanism'for thepurpose of forming this thin strip into a strip of proper 'thickness to be cut into powder grains. 4Near the lower surface of the roller d I provide the rollers o, p and. g. The roller o revolves in the same surface dif' rect-ion and at the same surface speed as the roller d. The roller qrevolves in the opposite direction and at a surface speed tobe determined by the desired thickness of the ultimate powder strip, as will hereinafter be more fully described. As these two rollers g and o revolve in opposite directions the powder strip upon the roller; d will, when it reaches those rollers, be, by their reverse action, crowded between them into the space as shown. The scraper t, backed up by the spring u, prevents any powder pass-` ing beyond the roller q. Between the rollers o and g is Athe roller p revolving ina direction opposite to the roller g. The nraterial crowd- `ed between the lrollers o .and q is prevented from passing out between the rollers o and p by means of the scraper and cleaner 1', backed up' bythe spring fw. As the drawings show, the scraper and cleaner r contacts with the roller o, as that is the roller which will tend to carry the material around in the direct-ion between the rollers o and p. In like-manner, the scraper and cleaner t contacts with the surface of the roller d, fassthat roller is the one which Vwill tendto carry off and prevent the material being-.brought into the space between the rollers g o. The rollers p and g are separated fromeach other at a distance equal to the thickness of the desired powder strip and their peripheral `velocit-ies are determined upon the basis ofthe thickness of the powder strip desiredl and lthe quant-ity acted on. v

Contacting with vt-he `roller g is as craper andspreader z, quite similar to the scraper and spreader f, before described. It, like the scraper f, has the scraping surface or edge, which-contacts with the roller q, and the pr'oJecting lip z which is spacedfrom the roller pa distance equal to the distance ,between the rollers p and g at the active point. By this construction the powder mass in the space between the rollers o and g'will ass 'out between the rollers-p and g and w11 be prevented from following the roller g by the scraping surface of the scraper and spreader a, and be maintained by the lip 2 at the vproper thickness. The

action is thus a formative one between the rollers p and g, theseforming a spreading and holding action between theflip e and Ves the roller p. F inally', the .powder strip is I released from the'roller p by means of the scraper a', the scraping surface of which contacts with the. roller. p beyond the point of action of thelip z. vThis scraper w 1s also provided with a projecting lip Am-to' i' carryvthe powder fully clear of the scraper" itself so that it willv move or pass-free from said scraper. The scraper m is held in operative positionby the spring y.

Having noviT fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is l. In an apparatus for solidifying crystallizable mixtures Without substantial crystalv lization, in combination, an, open-ended reccptacle for the material, a rotating carrying roller at the mouth of said receptacle, a-

rotating pressing roller mounted at the end of said receptacle, the material passing from said receptacle between said rollers, and a scraper and spreader, the scraper lcoacting A'with the pressing roller and the spreader extending beyond the pressing roller and coacting With the carrying roller.

2. In an apparatus forsolidifying crys-v tallizable mixtures Without substantial crystallization, in combination, a rotating carrying roller, meansto apply a layer of material to the surface of said roller, mchanism adapted to take off the layer of ma-v terial from said -carrying roller and break it up, and pressure rollers, spaced apart the thickness of strip, vbetween which said material, when removed from the carrying roller, is adapted to pass, and a spreading and scraping `device in proximity' to one pressure roller and a scraping device in proximity 'to the other pressure roller.

4. In an apparatus for solidifying crys-4 tallizable mixtures without substantial crystallization, in combination, a rotating carrying roller, means to apply a layer of material to the surface of said roller, mechanism adapted to take off the material from said carrying roller, and pressure rollers',`

lspaced apartthe distance for the desired thickness of strip, between which said Inaterial, Whenremoved 'from the carrying roller, is adapted to pass, and a scraping and pressing device in proximity to one pressure roller, the scraping portion thereof coacting with said. roller and the spreading portion thereof coacting )with the other pressure roller, and a scraping device coacting with' the last mentioned roller beyond said spreader.

5.l In an apparatus for solidifying crystallizable mixtures Without substantial crystallization, in combination, a rotating carrying roller, means to apply a layer of material to the surface of said roller, mechanism adapted to take off the material from said carrying roller, and pressure rollers,

spaced apart the distance for the desired thickness of strip,between which said material, when removed from the carrying rroller, is adapted to pass, and a scraping roxmnty to onel pressureroller, the scrapingportion thereand pressing device in of coacting with -said roller and the spreading portion thereof coacting with the other pressure roller, and a scraping device coacting with the last mentioned roller beyond said spreader, said scraper having a projecting lip.

6.- In an apparatus for solidifying crystallizable mixtures Without substantial crystallization, in combination, a rot-ating carrying roller, means to apply a layer of material to the surface of said roller, means to i chill said layer While on said roller, mechanism adapted to take off the layer of material from said carrying roller and break it up, and pressure rollers, spaced apart the distance for the desired thickness of strip, between which said material, When removed from the carrying roller, is adapted to pass.

7. In an apparatus for solidifying crystallizable mixtures without substantial crystallization, in-combina-tion, a rotating carrying roller, means to apply a layer of material to the surface of said roller, means to chill said layer While on said roller, mechaliism adapted to take off the material from said carrying roller, and pressure rollers, spaced apart the distance for the desired thickness of strip, between which said material, when removed from the carrying roller, is adapted to pass, and a spreading and. scraping device in proximity to one pressure roller and a scraping device in proximity to the other pressure roller s 8. In an apparatus for solidifying crystallizable mixtures Without substantial crystallization, in combination, a rotating'carrying roller, means to apply a layer of material to the surface of said roller, means to chill said layer While on said roller, mechanism adapted to take of the'material from said'carrying roller, and pressure rollers, spaced apart the distance for the desired -.thickness of strip, between which said material, when removed from the carrying roller, is adapted to pass, a scraping and pressing` device in proximity to one pressure roller, the scraplngportlon thereof coacting lwith said roller and the spreading port-ion. thereof coacting with the other pressurev roller, and a scraping device coacting'with they last mentioned' roller beyond said spreader.

9. In an apparatus for solidi-tying crystallizable mixtures Without substantial crystallization, in combination, a rotating carrying roller, means to apply a layer of materialto the surface of saidroller, means to chill said layer While on sav-id roller, mechanism adapted to take off the material from ist Y said carrying roller, and pressure rollers,

spaced' apart the distance for the desired thickness of strip, between which said ma-` terial, when removed from the carrying. roller, lis adapted to pass, a scraping and 'pressing device in proximity to-one pressure roller, the scraping portion thereof coacting 'with said roller.and the spreading portion roller, means to apply a layer of material to the surfaceof sa1d roller, a pairof rollers Qrevolving in opposite directions in proximity to said carrying roller for removing and breaking' up the layer from said carrying roller, and a third roller coacting with the just mentioned rollers to compress the mass and form it into a sheet of the desired thickness. v e

11.- In an 'a paratus for formingpowder strips, in com mation, a rotating carrying roller, means to apply a layer of material to the surface of said` roller, means to coolthe material on said carrying roller, a pair of rollers revolving in opposite directions. in proximity to said carrying roller for removing and breaking up the'layer from said carrying roller, and aJ third roller lcoacting with the 'first mentioned rollers to compress the mass and f orm it into -a sheet of the desired thickness. t I

12. In an apparatus for forming powder strips, in combination, a rotating carrying roller, means Itoapply a layer of material to thesurface of said roller, a roller, o, in

. proximity to `the carrying roller and' rotat ing in a direction opposite to that of. the carrying roller, a roller, g, in proximity to .the carrying roller and rotating in the same direction as the carrying roller, and a roller, p, interposed between the rollers `o andg and revolving inaldirection' opposite to that 'of roller g, the 'said rollersl `and' g being spaced apart the desired thickness of the strip.A

13, In'an a paratus for forming 4powder i strips, in com mation, a rotating carrying roller, means to apply a layer of material toI j the surface of said roller, a ro1ler,o,1in

proximity to the carryin roller and rotating in a direction opposite to that 'of the carrying roller, av roller, g, in proximity to thecarrying roller and rotating in the same4 direction as ,the 'carrying roller, a roller, p, interposed between the rollers o and pand revolving in a direct-ion oppositeto that of roller g, the said rollers and g being spaced apart the desired t 'ckness of the strip, means to prevent the material on the carrying roller passing beyond roller q, means to prevent the materialv passing between rollers o and ,a scraper and spreader in proximity to rol er g, a sera-per in prox# imity -to roller Ip, the scraper of-the scraper and spreader coacting with roller g and the spreader of said devlce coact-ingwith roller A2% the Scraper in. proximity to roller'p -coacting with said roller be'ond thel oint. y d? y P er.

of coaction of the sprea 14. In an apparatus for orming-powder s trips, in combmatiom-a rotating carrying roller, means ytov apply a layer of material `to the surface of 'said roller, means to chillthe materialen' said carrying roller, a roller, o, in proxlmity to the carrying roller and rotatln'g in a direction opposite to that of t-hc carrying roller, a roller, g, in proximity to the carryingroller and rotating in the same direction as the 'carrying roller, a roller, p,

interposed between lthe rollers o' and .g and revolving in a direction oppo'site'to that or" roller g, the 'said rollers 77 and -g being v carrying 'roller passing beyond roller q, means to prevent the material passing'be- -spaced apart .the desired' thickness o tthegV strip, means to prevent the material'onthe Y tween rollers o and p, a scraper and spreader in proximity `to roller g, a scraper 1nv proximity to roller p, the scraper ofthe scraperand'spreader coacting with roller g and the spreader of said device coacting with roller p, the scraper in proximity to roller p coacting with said roller the point of coaction of the sprea er..

In testimony of which invention, I vhave hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, on

this 23rd day of September, 1909.

e FRANCIS I. DUPONT. Witnesses:

y :'M. M.l mamn,

in. M. Uma.- 

